iOS 26 Developer Beta 3 Arrives: Apple Refines Liquid Glass Design and Boosts Visual Intelligence

Apple has rolled out iOS 26 Developer Beta 3, introducing significant refinements to the controversial Liquid Glass design language and enhancing key features. This latest beta aims to address user feedback by toning down the initial intensity of the new visual style, making it more subtle and user-friendly.

A primary change in Developer Beta 3 is the increased opacity of navigation bars in most stock applications, alongside a slight reduction in the see-through transparency effect for app and folder icons. This adjustment, particularly noticeable in apps like Music and Safari, is designed to improve legibility and integrate more seamlessly with the established iOS aesthetic, moving away from what some users described as a ‘greasy’ or ‘intrusive’ look.

Beyond design, iOS 26 Developer Beta 3 also showcases Apple’s new ‘Visual Intelligence’ feature, positioned as the company’s answer to Android’s ‘Circle to Search’. This powerful tool allows users to take a screenshot and then leverage options like direct upload to ChatGPT for context or ‘Image Search’ to find similar visuals via Google. While currently requiring a few more taps than its Android counterpart, it significantly boosts the utility of existing iOS features.

However, the beta is not without its caveats. Performance and battery optimization remain areas needing substantial improvement, especially on older devices like the iPhone 13 Pro Max, which exhibited frame drops, overheating, and reduced battery life. While newer devices like the iPhone 16 Plus fared better, Apple is expected to continue optimizing the OS for a broader range of hardware.

As with any beta software, several bugs persist. Noteworthy issues include videos continuing to play audio in the background after being flicked away, the Photos app crashing with multiple audio streams, and stability problems in the Settings and Mail apps under rapid input. Users are encouraged to report such issues via the Feedback app to aid in development. Despite these early-stage quirks, iOS 26 Developer Beta 3 marks a clear step forward in design refinement and feature integration, though it is still recommended for developers only and not for daily use on primary devices.

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